Illinois House Passes Resolution Citing CBS 2 Reporting In Calling For Reopening Of State Unemployment Offices
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS) -- CBS 2 reporting has helped prompt calls for change at Illinois state unemployment offices.
The Illinois House of Representatives on Saturday night unanimously passed a resolution demanding that the Illinois Department of Employment Security reopen its offices immediately.
The resolution said the computer robot called the "IDES assistant" and the department's telephone callback system are insufficient. It cited a specific CBS 2 report about a backlog in the IDES callback queue.
"Whereas, in a report broadcast on Chicago's WBBM-TV/Channel 2 on Monday, March 8, IDES reported that as of the most recent reporting period, 155,765 calls from Illinois residents were sitting in its callback queue and they had not yet called back any of the names on this lengthy list," the resolution said.
The resolution further said at the current rate of callbacks, those with names and numbers in the IDES callback queue cannot expect to get a return call until more than one month since they first requested assistance.
The resolution also noted that other Illinois departments - including Secretary of State Driver Services facilities and Family Community Resource Centers operated by the Department of Public Aid – have physical offices open.
Gov. JB Pritzker claims safety threats are the reason IDES offices are still closed. But he expects them to be open again by summer.
CBS 2 is committing to Working For Chicago, connecting you every day with the information you or a loved one might need about the jobs market, and helping you remove roadblocks to getting back to work.
We'll keep uncovering information every day to help this community get back to work, until the job crisis passes. CBS 2 has several helpful items right here on our website, including a look at specific companies that are hiring, and information from the state about the best way to get through to file for unemployment benefits in the meantime.
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